Managing any music or audio project takes more than just getting the content right. We look at one solution that could make life a lot easier for both you and your client.

Working digitally has transformed just about everything in music making. From its production, and how the engineer interacts with their client to fulfil their vision, right through to payment and distribution, the landscape is virtually unrecognisable from that at the start of the century. If the elements of production, interaction, review, payment and distribution are taken as separate processes, the media through which these happen used to vary greatly.

HitSend is an integrated online solution that helps engineers send mixes and masters, collect revisions, and receive payment. Running on desktop and mobile device web browsers, it requires no downloaded apps or installation, doing everything within its own secure cloud based ecosystem. Users simply choose from two subscription plans; Pro for $39.99 per month ($32.99 if paid annually upfront) or a custom Enterprise plan which is custom designed around your needs.

Here are our six reasons why you need HitSend:

1 - Flawless Audio

Everyone loves instant online file sharing, but the elephant in the room with many cloud based services is the codecs they employ to compress the audio data down for easy transport and/or streaming. These ‘lossy’ codecs do what they say on the tin; that is to throw away information that the codec deems to be an expensive luxury. Not all file compression formats do this, of which FLAC and Apple’s ALAC are probably the best known. Hitsend takes sharing up a whole new level by doing away with data compression altogether, so you can be sure that what you export is what your client hears. HitSend’s Flawless playback brings WAV and AIFF playback for up to 48x better quality when compared with popular file transfer platforms.

2 - Timecoded Comments

Many a project file has suffered names along the lines of “text_11nov” or “email_12nov”, and while this can work as a way of keeping tabs on, and executing revisions, it isn’t particularly elegant. Freeing the engineer from juggling messenger and email apps, HitSend lets the client comment on revisions, but even better, lets the engineer export timecoded comments as MIDI markers that can be placed on your DAW’s timeline.

3 - Payments

Many engineers will have had the difficult conversation along the lines of money before mixes. With other strategies such as 50% up front and 50% on delivery going part of the way towards motivating slow payers, Hitsend can do it better. Mix and master assets can be withheld until payment is received, and the platform allows you to generate invoices in 97 different currencies, supporting deposit invoicing, approval invoicing, or general invoicing.

In a forthcoming update, users will be able to link invoices created in popular accounting software such as Quickbooks, PayPal, Freshbooks, and Wave to your HitSend projects and the integrated paywall.

4 - Custom Branding

Rather than relying on a standard GUI, HitSend lets you customise the client experience with your own branding and colour schemes. On launch, the Splash page can display your logo, studio photos, awards, or anything else when using the player link. When playlists are shared, clients can be given a preview of what their album will look like once it's released using artwork.

HitSend links to your business email account for a streamlined experience. Emails are automated and can be customised with your logo, colour scheme and studio name on all client correspondence.

5 - Security

When it comes to asset security, HitSend has features that take the privacy of your clients as seriously as you do. HitSend follows the guidelines set out by the Motion Picture Association of America and the Content Delivery & Security Association Music Recording Studio Security Program best practices for digital media assets to protect users. By making use of password-protected privileges, Engineers can decide who is able to comment, approve, or have download permissions. This is ideal for when the engineer needs to concentrate on creative input from those in charge of the process while insuring against leaks and other worst-case scenarios.

6 - Referral Programme

HitSend runs a programme which rewards users for introducing new collaborators to the platform. Once someone is a paying subscriber they can also take advantage of the referral program where people they invite can receive 50% off their first month’s subscription (a $20 value). The person inviting collaborators with a referral code will also receive the same benefit with $20 towards their next invoice.

Keeping On Top Of Projects In One Place

The convoluted mix of studio, management, record company, banks, and the odd face-to-face down the pub has been replaced with digital ways of working that, while more convenient, can still be disparate. Perhaps one of the most difficult things to manage has been keeping tabs on revisions and ensuring deliverables land when (and to whom) they should, following correct payment. HitSend might just be the solution that makes those headaches go away.

Production Expert readers can enjoy 30% off their first year that can be applied at checkout. Simply use code Experts30. The code is case-sensitive. Please note that you cannot stack the 30% off coupon with a referral code at checkout.